Ford has made its Focus ST model the star of a hidden camera stunt run by Just For Laughs Gags in a first-time partnership between the two brands.
A video of the stunt called “Valet Thief-Police Pursuit Prank,” is hosted on Just For Laughs Gags’ YouTube channel, and features a 2013 Focus ST pulling up to unsuspecting Montrealers standing by a valet stop. The driver of the Focustosses a duffel bag full of money into the air and flees a police pursuit. The unwitting participants become suspects and, after they’re alerted to the presence of TV cameras, the spot ends with the line “Find more surprise and delight in every Ford Focus.”
The spot also features Ford’s Explorer and Focus Electric models.
The execution follows the automaker’s agency of record, Y&R, approaching Just For Laughs looking for a fun promotional idea, said Andrew A. Schiavetti, brand and FDAA communications manager at Ford. The goal of the spot, he said, is to let people know that the Focus is the most widely chosen car nameplate across the globe, and to use a medium Canadians know well to get that message across.
“I think humour is a good way to cut through the clutter,” Schiavetti said. “We were looking to break through in a different way, similar to branded content. This is a great platform that has worldwide appeal. And this kind of collaboration hasn’t been done before.”
Schiavetti said the stunt is not part of a larger ad campaign but rather the beginning of what he hopes will be a long-standing relationship with the comedy channel.
The spot – which launched on Monday – is aimed at 25-to 40 year-olds living in an urban market, Schiavetti said. The video will also be airing in cinemas in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver starting on November 21. TV spots began running this week in those same markets. The media buy was handled by Mindshare.
